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These two large prominences (lower right and lower left) erupted from the Sun in March 2003. This ultraviolet image was captured by the SOHO spacecraft.
Click on image for full size Image courtesy SOHO (NASA & ESA).

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Solar Prominence

Large impressive loop-like structures on the edge of the solar disk sometimes
stand out brightly against the dark background of space. Though these structures,
called "prominences", appear to be very bright and hot, they are actually hundreds
of times cooler and denser than the surrounding gases in the Sun's corona or
outermost
atmosphere.

Filaments are dark string-like features that snake across regions of the solar
disk. They are actually prominences that are silhouetted against the much brighter
solar surface.

Filaments and prominences can remain stable for weeks or even months. Then,
without warning, these structures can erupt and blow large amounts of gas and
plasma out into space. Erupting prominences are closely associated with an
important
space weather event called a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME).

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